Archived: Bearcross Dental Practice

Updated 7 January 2016

The inspection was carried out on 26 August 2015 by a CQC inspector and a dental specialist advisor.

We asked the practice to provide a range of policies and procedures and other relevant information before the inspection. The information reviewed did not highlight any significant areas of risk across the five key question areas.

On the day of our inspection we looked at practice policies and protocols, dental care records and other records relating to the management of the service. We spoke to the registered manager and the practice manager, three dentists and two dental nurses. We also spoke to five patients on the day of inspection and reviewed 43 comments cards completed by patients.

We informed NHS England area team / Healthwatch we were inspecting the practice; however we did not receive any information of concern from them.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 7 January 2016

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 26 August 2015 to ask the practice the following key questions; Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Bearcross Dental Practice provides a range of treatments, and sees mainly NHS patients. There are four dentists, two part-time hygienists and six dental nurses working at the practice. The practice manager is the registered manager, the owner and a dentist. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

The practice is in a converted residential property. All of the treatment rooms are on the ground floor and are easily accessed by wheelchair users.

During our inspection we spoke with five patients and reviewed 43 comments cards, which patients had completed in the two weeks prior to our visit. All patients commented positively about the care and treatment they received at the practice.

Our key findings were:

• We found all treatment rooms well planned and equipped, with good light and ventilation.
• There were systems in place to check all equipment had been serviced regularly, including the air compressor, autoclave, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinder and the X-ray equipment.
• Patients care and treatment was assessed, planned and delivered according to their individual needs.
• The practice was sensitive to the needs of their patients and treated them with dignity and respect and the patient satisfaction survey indicated they were happy with their care and treatment.
• The practice had systems in place for the management of infection control, clinical waste segregation and disposal, management of medical emergencies and dental radiography
• Staff had regular appraisals and were supported to complete training for their continuous professional development.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Complete checks as recommended by the risk assessment for the management of legionella carried out in June 2014.

Staff should be trained in safeguarding vulnerable adults and vulnerable adults should be included in the providers safeguarding policy.